Sihon, King of Heshbon

Sihon was, according to the Bible, an Amorite King who ruled in Heshbon. Moses and the army of Israel killed Sihon in battle and conquered the city of Heshbon.

 

     According to the Bible, Sihon was an Amorite king living at the time of the Israelite conquest of Palestine. Little is known about him except what is recorded in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books say, in essence, that this king of the Amorites would not allow Moses and the children of Israel through his lands. His lands included much of what was called Moab, and specifically the city of Heshbon. There is no extra-biblical or archaeological evidence corroborating the story of Sihon.
 The author of Numbers states:


       "Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 'Let me pass  through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink  your water of a well; we will go by the King’s Highway, until we have passed  through your territory.' But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his  territory. He gathered all his men together, and went out against Israel to the  wilderness, and came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. And Israel slew him  with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the  Jabbok…And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the  Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon  the king of the Amorites… "

          Later in Numbers 21:27 Heshbon is again called the “city of Sihon.” It seems that Sihon had lived in Heshbon. Joshua 13:21 holds that Sihon “reigned in Heshbon.” One could infer that Heshbon had some strategic importance and may have been a government center.

     One of the few other historical mentions of Sihon comes from first century C.E. Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. Josephus adds detail to the rather vague story told in the Bible. According to Josephus, after Sihon refused passage for the Israelites, Moses, the leader of the Israelites, rallied his troops and marched on the army of Sihon. The Amorite army became fearful and fled towards the cities (although Heshbon is not specifically mentioned in Josephus’s account, it is inherent in the Biblical account so we may for our purposes assume that Heshbon was one of these cities). The Israelite soldiers, who were lightly armored and quicker than the Amorites, chased them and killed them with throwing darts, slings, and bows. Sihon was killed on the field of battle and his army destroyed. Deuteronomy 2:32-34 remarks on the capture of the city of Heshbon:

"So when Sihon came out against us, he and all his people for battle at Jahaz, the Lord our God gave him over to us; and we struck him down, along with his offspring and all his people. At that time we captured all his towns, and in each town we utterly destroyed men, women, and children. We left not a single survivor. "

 

-A.G.

 

 

 

Bibliography:

 

Daniel L. Gard, “The Case for Eschatological Continuity” in Show Them No Mercy: 4 Views on God and Canaanite Genocide , ed. Stanley N. Gundry (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003).

 

Flavius Josephus, The New Complete Works of Josephus , trans. William Whiston,  (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998).*

 

Numbers 21:21-27 (Revised Standard Version).

 

Joshua 13:15, 21 (Revised Standard Version).

 

Deuteronomy 2:32-34 (New Revised Standard Version).


 

Edited 1/27/06 tlc